The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-12

overstated. The loss in dollars and cents to the
people of the United States when the first gun
fred at Fort Samter ushered IN the Rebellion
was cot greater than that threatened by the
outbreak of plerro- pneumonia. Proceeding to
consideration of the details of the BILL he stated
that the changes consisted chiefly in the removal
of the restrictions upon the Commissioner of
Agriculture to the employment of force to en-
force the law, and in empowering the Commits
sioner, with the cooperation of the State author
tiles, under State laws. to condemn and destroy
infected cattle. That right did not exist under
the present Law. the Commissioner being unable
to get possession of infected cattle except by
chase from the owner, and some of the States
had prohibited the Commissioner to enter for
the purpose of enforcing the law. It was pro-
vided in the pending bill that when State re-
fused or neglected to cooperate with the Com
missioner, the President should declare that
State in quarantine, and prohibit the transporta-
ton of cattle out of it.
Mr. Mcmillan, of Tennessee, inquired whether
COW inflicted with pleuro-pneumonia was not
worthless.
Mr. Hatch replied that it was worse than use
less
Mr.. Mcmillan further inquired why, If the cow
was worse than useless, the Treasury should be
called to pay the value of the animal before it
contracted the disease.
Mr. Hatch replied that this provision WAS based
upon the experience of the most enlig htened gov
erpments in the management Of the disease for
one hundred years. 1t was SO easy to conceal
the existence of the disease and SO hard to de-
tect It, that some compensation must be given TO
the owners of the infected cattle, or all the
money which could be appropriated would not
stamp out the disease
Mr. McMian-Then you propose to induce
any man who owns herd of cattle afflicted with
the disease to bring it in and sell it7
Mr. Hatch-Yes; the object is to induce any
man who owns herd of cattle afflicted with
pleuro pneumonia to give immediate notice the
Department, in order that it might be con-
demned and destroyed.
Mr. Morgan, of Mississippi, opposed the bill
on the ground that 1t was vain and Elusive and
would amount to nothing. 1t did not reach the
evil which it was intended to reach, and was
mere myth. He agreed with the gentleman
from New York Mr.. Swinburnel, who had sub.
mitted a minority report, that the disease
should be treated in the same manner as disease
among human beings, and that there was NO
more reason for the destruction of diseased cat
tie than there was for the destruction OF human
beings when afflicted with the smallpox or yell
low-fever
Mr.. Bntterworth, of Ohio, inquired whether
pleuro- pneumonia was a contagious disease.
Mr. Morgan replied that 1t was a communica-
BILE disease.
communicated it did not matter much how it
was termed.
Mr. Morgan said that some diseases were con-
tagious, some communicable. and some nfec
tions; but that the bill took in the whole tea
party He further criticised the bill in that it
authorized the President, on the recommeuda
ton of the Commissioner of Agriculture, to place
State in quarantine, which would virtually put
1t In the power of the Commissioner to suspend
the commerce of any State
Mr. Swinburne, of New York, the member of
the committee who presented the minority re-
port. had that report read as part of his remarks
In the report he says: both the original bill
and the substitute, offered by the chairman of
the committee on agriculture, re-enact the pow
ers of the Commissioner of Agriculture and ex-
tend them SO that whenever, in the opinion of the
Commissioners, IL is deemed Advisable. he may
appralse and slaughter the diseased and exposed
cattle, and compensate the owners. by the orig
inal BILL at four-ffths their value, and, by the
substitute of the chairman Of the committee on
agriculture, at three-fourths. The whole argu-
nent of the Chief of the Bureau Of Animal In
dustry is an effort to convince the Nation, and
particularly Congress, to whom he appeals for q
large appropriation, that there is but rene
dy, and that is the total extirpation of the dis
eased by slaue hter. If such system is to be
adopted we would recommend the changing of
the name OF the department from that of Bureau
of Animal Industry to bureau of butchery for
the destruction of the domestic animals of
the United States. to be in charge Of
a corps of butcher boys who would be
as we'll qualified for their positions as the pres
emit head of the bureau seems competent for
his In this recomm endation the chief advo-
Gates the very absurd proposition that liberal
indemnity should be paid owners of cattle to re-
port cases of sickness where small indemnity
leads to secretion of disease. A new feature in
public ethics which requires a premium TO be
paid men to prevent violations Of law. Aside
from the legal question arising, as a matter Of
equity, 1t would be equally logical to ask the
government to appropriate funds to reimburse
farmers for the loss of their stock by cyclones,
birds, rot any other unforeseen cause, because
| such crops were the dependence of family.
| We are firm in the conviction that this disease,
| termed pleuro-pnemona, is a blood poison orig
mating among cattle in stables and stocky ards,
| and We agree with the opinion of ex-Comms-
| sioner of Agriculture Loring that it can be
| checked by quarantining in open, well
| protected fields. and that until stringent
| laws enforced to protect cattle
in the stables and stockyards, and in rransporta-
| ton. and for providing them with proper food
and water, the disease cannot be extirpated and
| the public protected from diseased meats and
| the poisonous milk of infected cows. We are of
| the opinion that the disease is not increasing
| but rather diminishing, as in New York and
| Brooklyn, where stringent sanitary laws are en-
| forced and frequent inspections made. Believ
ing that the theory of incubation has failed te
| produce the desired results and that slau ghser
| ing as means to extirpate is cowardly and IN
| wise, we are opposed to the appropriation asked
| by the chief of the Bureau of Animal Indurtrv
| to be expended mo recommends in his report
Pending further debate, the com mittee ros.
| and the House adjourned.
A Celebrated Pianist's Visit.